BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — State Fire Marshal Butch Browning and Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain say half of Louisiana's parishes are too dry to allow private burning.

They have ordered a burn ban in 32 North and Central Louisiana parishes, starting at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

The order made public late Tuesday covers most of North and Central Louisiana.

The parishes are: Acadia, Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Catahoula, Claiborne, DeSoto, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, LaSalle, Lincoln, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll and Winn.

Until the order is rescinded, permission from the local fire department or local government is needed for any private burning.

People who violate the order could face civil and criminal penalties. ___Online: http://www.ldaf.state.la.us

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